Law vs. Grace

Joseph F. Dumond

Isa 6:9-12 And He said, Go, and tell this people, You hear indeed, but do not understand; and seeing you see, but do not know. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn back, and be healed. Then I said, Lord, how long? And He answered, Until the cities are wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land laid waste, a desolation, and until Jehovah has moved men far away, and the desolation in the midst of the land is great.
Published: Feb 4, 2022

News Letter 5857-050
The 5th Year of the 4th Sabbatical Cycle
The 26th year of the 120th Jubilee Cycle
The 3rd day of the 13th month 5857 years after the creation of Adam
The 4th Sabbatical Cycle after the 119th Jubilee Cycle
The Sabbatical Cycle of Sword, Famines, and Pestilence
1681 Days until the Two Witnesses
618 Days into the 2300 Days Started May 31st, 2020

February 5, 2022

Shabbat Shalom Royal Family of Yehovah,


Shabbat Zoom Meeting

There are many people in need of fellowship and who are sitting at home on the Sabbath with no one to talk to or debate with. I want to encourage all of you to join us on Shabbat, and to invite others to come and join us as well. If the time is not convenient then you can listen to the teaching and the midrash after on our YouTube channel.

What are we doing and why do we teach this way?

We are going to discuss both sides of an issue and then let you choose. It is the work of the Ruach (Spirit) to direct and to teach you.

The medieval commentator Rashi wrote that the Hebrew word for wrestle (avek) implies that Jacob was “tied”, for the same word is used to describe knotted fringes in a Jewish prayer shawl, the tzitzityot. Rashi says, “thus is the manner of two people who struggle to overthrow each other, that one embraces the other and knots him with his arms”.

Our intellectual wrestling has been replaced by a different kind of struggle. We are Wrestling with Yehovah as we grapple with His Word. It is an intimate act, symbolizing a relationship in which Yehovah and I and you are bound together. My wrestling is a struggle to discover what Yehovah expects of us, and we are “tied” to the One who assists us in that struggle.

Today, many say Israel means “Champion of God”, or better — the “Wrestler of God”.

Our Torah sessions each Shabbat teach you and encourage you to constantly challenge, question, argue against, as well as view alternative views and explanations of the Word. In other words, we are to “wrestle with the Word” to get to the truth. Jews worldwide believe that you need to wrestle with the Word and constantly challenge Dogma, Theology, and views or else you will never get to the Truth.

We are not like most churches where “The preacher talks and everyone listens.” We encourage everyone to participate, to question and to contribute what they know on the subject being discussed. We want you to be a champion wrestler of the Word of Yehovah. We want you to wear the title of Israel, knowing that you not only know but are capable to explain why you know the Torah to be true with logic and facts.

We have a few rules though. Let others talk and listen. There is no discussion about UFO’s Nephilim, Vaccines or conspiracy-type subjects. We have people from around the world with different world views. Not everyone cares who is the President of any particular country. Treat each other with respect as Fellow wrestlers of the word. Some of our subjects are hard to understand and require you to be mature and if you do not know, then listen to gain knowledge and understanding and hopefully wisdom. The very things you are commanded to ask Yehovah for and He gives to those who ask.

Jas 1:5  But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and with no reproach, and it shall be given to him.

We hope you can invite those who want to keep Torah to come and join us by hitting the link below. It is almost like a Torah teaching fellowship talk show with people from around the world taking part and sharing their insights and understandings.

We start off with some music and then some prayers and it’s as though you were sitting around the kitchen back in Newfoundland having a cup of coffee and all of us enjoying each other’s company. I hope you will grace us with your company someday.

Sabbath February 5,  2022, the room will be open at 12:30 PM Eastern with singing and prayers until about 1:15 PM. You are all welcome to join and watch. It is not recorded. We will have our afternoon service after this. You are welcome to come and join us before during and after we are off the air.

We look forward to you joining our family and getting to know us as we get to know you.

Joseph Dumond is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Joseph Dumond’s Personal Meeting Room

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Septennial Torah Portion

If you go to Torah Portion at our archived section, you can then go to the 5th year which is the 5th year of the Sabbatical Cycle, the one we are in now, as we state at the top of every News Letter. There you can scroll down to February 5, 2022, and see that this Shabbat we could very well be midrashing about

Exodus 26

Isaiah 40-42

Ps 146

John 14-15

If you missed last week’s exciting discoveries as we studied that section you can go and watch past Shabbats on our media section.


A 13th Month-Adar Bet Declared

The 12th month is called the month of Adar. It is Adar Aleph. When there is 13th month, it is called Adar Bet.

The month’s name, like all the other from the Hebrew calendar, was adopted during the Babylonian captivity. In the Babylonian calendar the name was Araḫ Addaru or Adār (‘Month of Adar’).

In leap years, it is preceded by a 30-day intercalary month named Adar Aleph (Hebrew: אדר א׳, Aleph being the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet), also known as “Adar Rishon” (First Adar) or “Adar I”, and it is then itself called Adar Bet (Hebrew: אדר ב׳, Bet being the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet, also known as “Adar Sheni” (Second Adar or “Adar II”). Occasionally instead of Adar I and Adar II, “Adar” and “Ve’Adar” are used (Ve means ‘and’ thus: And-Adar).

This past week Becca reported that the Barley was just Afilot.

“And the flax and the barley were smitten, because the barley was Abib and the flax was Giv’ol. And the wheat and the spelt were not smitten because they were dark (Afilot).” (Ex 9,31-32)

Where is Aviv Mentioned in the Torah?

“This day you are going out in the month of the Aviv.” (Ex 13:4).

This is the month of Passover around March when the Barley is about to become mature. We are commanded to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Chag HaMatzot) at this time of year.

Deu 16:1  Observe the month Abib, and keep the Passover to Jehovah your God. For in the month of Abib, Jehovah your God brought you forth out of Egypt by night.

Exo 23:15  You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. You shall eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded you, in the time appointed of the month Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt. And no one shall appear before Me empty.

Exo 34:18  You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. You shall eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded you, in the time of the month Abib. For in the month Abib you came out from Egypt.

Why do we need to look for barley?

Lev 23:10  Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, When you have come into the land which I give to you, and shall reap the harvest of it, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest.

Lev 23:11  And he shall wave the sheaf before Jehovah to be received for you. On the next day after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.

It is crucial that you understand that you are to cut the barley the night of the Wave Sheaf Day, after the Sabbath has ended. When you do this to make the Barley Wave Offering the next morning, then from this DAY, THAT YOUR PUT THE SICKLE TO THE GRAIN, this is the day you begin to count to Shavuot.

Deu 16:9  You shall count seven weeks to yourselves. Begin to count the seven weeks from the time you began to put the sickle to the grain.

When you put the sickle to the grain after the Sabbath, this is when you are to start your count. You cannot put the sickle to the grain before this day. This is why it is crucial to get the absolute earliest green ears or barley that can be roasted or dried to make flour. If you come too late the barley shatters and falls to the ground before you can harvest it.

Lev 23:15  And you shall count to you from the next day after the sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete.

Lev 23:16  To the next day after the seventh sabbath you shall number fifty days. And you shall offer a new food offering to Jehovah.

When you roast the barley you are getting the last vestiges of water or moisture out of the barley so it can be ground into flour. Barley in the dough stage can be harvested and it will form a head overnight and then roasted and after that ground into flour.

Lev 2:14  And if you bring a food offering of your firstfruits to Jehovah, green ears roasted by fire, grains of a garden, you shall bring near for a food offering your firstfruits,

Lev 2:15  And you shall put oil on it and lay frankincense on it. It is a food offering.

Lev 2:16  And the priest shall burn it as incense with its memorial offering from its grains and from its oil, besides all its frankincense, a fire offering to Jehovah.

In order to perform the wave sheaf offering you must have barley that you can ground into flour. You must not harvest any of the barley until wave sheaf day, right after the Sabbath has ended. You can then roast it once the seed is formed.

To harvest Barely before Wave Sheaf Day is a sin. It means you have waited too long to get the first fruits.

This is why we look for and monitor the state of the Barley. We are in touch with the land which Yehovah blesses or curses depending on our obedience to Him.


The New Moon of the 13th Month

The New Moon of the 13th month was seen in Israel by two witnesses Wednesday, 2 February 2022!

From Zevulun at 6:03pm by Yoel Halevi.

From the Western Galilee at 5:33pm by Kenny Russell, Hayley Russell, and Hannah.


In the Mail

Dear Mr Dumond
I had to think of a lot about after the last past newsletters, sometime your newsletters are so hard, but I have to thank you for stepping out and do what you are doing. And continue to do that.
I am greatfull for recieving the newsletters weekly so I have decided to commit myself to 10 CAD every month. I realised its not much, but its more about the commitment to add to the work Yehovah is doing and for opening our eyes.
Thank you again, Mr Dumond, may Yehovah continue to bless you and use you in these times we are living in.
Kind regards

MS South Africa

Brethren, I want you to know, I am not here to hurt your feelings. I am sharing what I am learning with you all. But sometimes I see the things people are doing and how some race towards those things that are not of Yehovah. Because of Ezekiel 33, I have been commanded to speak out. Because of Lev 19 which commands me not to hate my Brother so much that I do not tell him and he is executed for sins because I kept silent. So I have to speak up and Yehovah has given me this platform in order to do it.


Ordinations in Pakistan

Our Brethren in Pakistan are growing. They ordained 1 Evangelist and 2 Deacons last week. Pray Yehovah sends more leaders, more qualified teachers and more help to do this work around the world.

They have been pursuing Torah since 2009. But there was some confusion over calendar issues. They have been reading Remembering the Sabbatical Year of 2016 and translating our videos into Urdu and teaching them about the calendar issues and are now understanding them.

Da’at

You show favour to a man of knowledge, and You teach understanding to a mortal man. Be gracious to Yehovah, a mind of understanding and intellect is from You. Blessed are You, Yehovah, who favours us with Knowledge.


Law vs Grace

Ricky Singh Chohan

Ricky Chohan teaches to those who speak Hindi. Those who have converted from Hinduism to Christianity. He has his hands full. Do keep him in your prayers.

Many sincere Christians are innocently misled by their church pastors and ministers to trust this misconception, that their observance to the Torah (translated as Law in English translations) will cut them off from the Messiah יהושע. Those, who are true believers of Messiah יהושע, are commonly accused of falling away from His grace because they delight in keeping the Torah of the Most High יהוה Elohim. Galatians 5:4 NIV is often quoted as a proof text to dupe modern Christians, that if they honour the Torah, then Messiah יהושע will be of no benefit to them.

Galatians 5:4 NIV “You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.”

The threads of the book of the Galatians are frequently used to teach that Christians are not obligated to obey any commandment of the Most High Yah Elohim as detailed in His Torah, such as Shabbat, feasts, dietary laws etc. Perhaps, you are well aware of the banner – “Law vs Grace”, a statement that is largely based on the understanding arising from Galatians 5:4.

Does Galatians 5:4 extinct the Torah? Are Grace and Torah hostile to each other? Do we alienate from the unfathomable grace of the Messiah if we walk in the same way in which He walked, the One who kept the Torah perfectly? Do the scriptures teach ” Law vs Grace” or “Law and Grace”?

I urge you to open your Bible and consider this study as this might be completely new to you or even life-changing. My intention is not to disservice or dethrone any pastor or minister but to remind my beloved Christian brethren to be like Bereans and Test Every Teaching -(Acts 17:11).

Reading the scriptures in the context is integral to biblical analysis because context is the way Elohim gives us the correct understanding and interpretation of His words. When a verse is snipped out of context and exalted on one’s own view, it ends up misapplying it in our lives as well as teaching something wrong to others. To have a correct understanding of “Galatians 5:4”, we must scrutinise its background, and the passages surrounding it.

The epistle to the Galatians, commonly known as Galatians is a letter from Rav Shaul (Apostle Paul) to several believing Gentile communities in Galatia. These Gentiles converts were predominantly the descendants of the Lost Sheep of the House of Yisra’ĕl, also known as Ephrayim, the Northern Kingdom of Yisra’ĕl (10 tribes). A strong pillar of the book of Galatians is to reiterate the Good News of Salvation and Justification is by faith in the redemptive work of the Messiah יהושע, not by the works of the law.

The “Epistle to the Galatians “, can simply be explained in just one word, that is, -“Correction”. Shaul wrote this epistle to rebuke and correct the Galatians who were falling into the clutches of the false gospel.

Galatians 1:6-7 ” I marvel that you are so readily turning away from Him who called you in the favour of Messiah, to a different ‘Good News,’ which is not another, only there are some who are troubling you and wishing to pervert the Good News of Messiah.”

What was the false gospel preached to the Galatians? It was the same gospel, Shaul subscribed to in his previous conduct, before he became a champion of the faith, an apostle of Messiah.

Galatians 1:13-14 “For you have heard of my former behaviour in Yehuḏaism, how intensely I persecuted the assembly of Elohim, and ravaged it. And I progressed in Yehuḏaism beyond many of my age in my race, being more exceedingly ardent for the traditions of my fathers.”

The false gospel is the work-based salvation; the traditions of the elders and Shaul later called it “works of the law”.

Galatians 2:16 “knowing that a man is not declared right by works of Torah, but through belief in יהושע Messiah, even we have believed in Messiah יהושע, in order to be declared right by belief in Messiah and not by works of Torah, because by works of Torah no flesh shall be declared right.”

Shaul used the phrase “works of the law” to describe a false method of justification, which is diametrically opposed to faith in Messiah יהושע. Throughout the epistle to the Galatians, Shaul brilliantly expounded to endorse his argument that it is “faith is Messiah” not the “works of the law” by which we are saved. And, this knits in perfect harmony with the Torah itself teaches that justification is by faith. Consider the following.

Genesis 15:6 “And Aḇram believed in יהוה, and He reckoned it to him for righteousness”

The false gospel based on the “works of the law” has nothing to do with the commandments of Elohim as detailed in His Torah as the scriptures teach us that loving Elohim means keeping His commandments – (1 John 5:3).

You can not understand wholly what happened at Mount Calvary until you first grasp what was instituted at Mount Sinai.

Elohim made a Covenant with Yisra’ĕl at Mount Sinai -(Exodus 19-24) and Torah is the wedding vow of the Covenant. The blessings and curses are directly associated with obedience and disobedience – (Deuteronomy 28 and 30). Yisra’ĕl, from the base of Mt. Sinai, was a multi-ethnic entity -(Exodus 12:38) and Torah applies to all – (Numbers 15:15-16) who name יהוה as their one true and only Elohim whether native-born Israelite or foreigner. There were innumerable Hebrew and a “mixed multitude” who were delivered out of Egypt. The mixed multitude were the Gentiles who came into covenant and were grafted into Yisra’ĕl- (Genesis 12:37-38).

The Covenant Elohim made with Yisra’ĕl is like a Wedding Covenant -(Isaiah 54:5, Jeremiah 31:22) and Shabbat is the Wedding Ring, the sign of the Covenant – (Exodus 31:13-17, Ezekiel 20:12, 22). But Yisra’ĕl didn’t remain a faithful wife and went on whoring, spiritual adultery with the false pagan deities. Consequently, Yisra’ĕl was split into Two Kingdoms -(1 Kings 11 & 12). Several names throughout the scriptures knew these two divided kingdoms.

1. Northern Kingdom/10 Tribes: House of Yisra’ĕl, Stick of Yisra’ĕl, Samaria and Ephrayim.
2. Southern Kingdom/2 Tribes: House of Yehuḏah, Stick of Yehuḏah, and Yehuḏah, which later become known as the Jews.

Due to their continual rebellion, breaking His Torah and spiritual adultery, Elohim (Mighty One) allowed the House of Yisra’ĕl to be taken captive by the Assyrians (2 Kings 17:1-6) and, later, the House of Yehuḏah to be taken by the Babylonians (2 Kings 24,25).

The House of Yisra’ĕl was Divorced from Elohim -(Jeremiah 3:8), expelled from the Original Covenant, spiritual dead -(Hosea 13:1) and assimilated into the Gentiles/Nations -(Ezekiel 11:14-15, Ezekiel 22:15, Jeremiah 9:16, Hosea 7:8-9, Hosea 8:8-10, Hosea 9:17, Ezekiel 34:6, Amos 9:9 etc.).

Jeremiah 3:8 “And I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Yisra’ĕl had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Yehuḏah did not fear, but went and committed whoring too.”

Eventually, the House of Yisra’ĕl had lost its Identity, was swallowed up by the Gentiles/Nations, forgotten the Torah of Almighty and turned into Gentiles -(Hosea 9:17, Hosea 8:8, Hosea 8:12, etc.)

The House of Yehuḏah did return to their land after the 70 years of Babylon captivity (Jeremiah 29:10, Ezra 1:1-4) and remained in Covenant with Elohim and continue to observe His Torah along with their invention of extra man-made oral laws, also known as the traditions of the elders. These extra man laws later became a fence around the Torah of Elohim, rendering His commandments powerless – (Mark 7).
Remember, Elohim declared in Deuteronomy 4:2 not to add to and subtract from the Torah.

Elohim raised prophets like Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah), Yehezqĕl (Ezekiel), Hosea and Yeshayah (Isaiah) to proclaim the prophetic message of His Remarriage to Yisra’ĕl, that is, regathering the Two Houses of Yisra’ĕl into one Fold back to Him – (Jeremiah 31, Ezekiel 37, Jeremiah 33:6-14, Jeremiah 3:18, Jeremiah 50:4-5, Zechariah 10:6-9, Isaiah 11:11-3, Hosea 1:11, Hosea 2:13-23 etc.).

The promises of Remarrying the divorced wife House of Yisra’ĕl or Ephrayim enforced a severe challenge and problem. How would Elohim remarry His divorced wife, the House of Yisra’ĕl? His own Law, which defines His righteousness, forbid Him to remarry the unfaithful and divorced wife -(Deuteronomy 24:1-4).

There is no doubt that nothing is impossible for our Elohim. But, He can not break His own law and breaking the Law is defined as Sin -(1 John 3:4). Our Elohim can never Sin.

That was the mystery hidden for many centuries, as mentioned in the writings of Rav Shaul (Apostle Paul) -(Romans 16:25-26, Ephesians 3:2-6). That, how Elohim would remarry His divorced wife without breaking His own Law?

The only way the adulterous wife, the House of Yisra’ĕl or Ephrayim, could be released of her fate of having been put away and divorced by her husband (Elohim) was for herself or husband (Elohim) to die, which would annul and dissolve the marriage contract. There is no chance for our Elohim to die, so that’s why the Messiah יהושע came down from heaven and died for the Lost Sheep of the House of Yisra’ĕl to bring them back to their husband (Elohim).

Matthew 15:24 Messiah יהושע said, “ I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Yisra’ĕl.”

Messiah יהושע came to die for the House of Yisra’ĕl. He came to redeem the House of Yisra’ĕl. He came to release the adulterous wife (Ephrayim) from the law of Divorce and Remarriage so she can remarry her husband.

This is the true Good News preached by Shaul; Redemption is available for Ephrayim and the nations through belief in Messiah יהושע, and this belief produce obedience to the Torah – (Romans 3:31, Ephesians 2:8-19) with the aid of Set-Apart Spirit – (Ezekiel 36:26-27).

By the first century, Mainstream Jewish leadership strictly adhered to their belief system that the Torah of Elohim and their Oral laws, the promises, and covenants belonged to them only and Ephrayim or any other Gentile must legally become a Jew through works of Jewish halacha (Law), not a Torah command, in order to be in Covenant with Elohim and be saved.

This is the false gospel contrary to the Gospel first preached to Abraham, and this false gospel was never preached by the Messiah יהושע and Apostolic team. And, Rav Shaul dismissed the hypothesis of the false gospel by quoting a segment of the true Gospel first preached to Abraham in the Torah – (Genesis 12:3, 18:18, 22:18).

Galatians 3:8 “And the Scripture, having foreseen that Elohim would declare right the nations by belief, announced the Good News to Aḇraham beforehand, saying, “All the nations shall be blessed in you.”

The majority of the Jews both historically and even today endorse “Halakhah,” (Oral Torah) that governs Jewish life and this Oral Torah (Halakhah) goes above and beyond the Torah of Elohim. So, Ephrayim or any Gentile person who wanted to be saved must “legally” convert to Judaism and is responsible to maintain the Torah keeping in the traditions, regulations of the oral laws of the rabbis. This is the false gospel; works of the law, traditions of the elders.

In the first century, when the gate of heaven was opened for Ephrayim and other Gentiles through the redemption in Messiah יהושע, they were being pressured by the Circumcision Party (group of Jews) that demanded the Gentiles to become Jews for salvation. The process of conversion to Judaism starts with the ceremonial mark of the circumcision which is to become a legal Jew, not the Abrahamic circumcision which is the mark of the Covenant. The Circumcision Party held to the Jewish law that Gentiles cannot have anything to do with the Torah unless they get circumcised and become Jewish proselytes. We see this Circumcision Party in Acts 15, which caused the Jerusalem Council to convene. (Please see my separate teaching on Acts 15 to compliment this study: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=442707583487700&id=100032453865188&sfnsn=mo ).

The context of the Epistle to the Galatians is discussing the right standing with Elohim. The Galatians were having issues with this, as they were duped to believe in the false gospel based on ” works of the law”.

Galatians 5:2-4 “See, I, Sha’ul, say to you that if you become circumcised (mark of circumcision to become a legal Halacha Jew), Messiah shall be of no use to you (you are forfeiting the salvation through faith in Messiah). And I witness again to every man being circumcised that he is a debtor to do the entire Torah (halacha Jew is to maintain Torah and Oral Torah for salvation). You who are declared right by Torah (attempting to yield salvation by becoming a halacha Jew) have severed yourselves from Messiah (forfeiting the gospel of Messiah by the false gospel of men) you have fallen from favour (if one can earn salvation by becoming a halacha Jew, then there was no need for the Messiah to come).”

Torah was never designed to provide us salvation but rather points to the way of salvation in Messiah יהושע. We delight in the Torah because we love our Elohim who gave us the Torah; His commandments, judgements, statutes and right rulings. Therefore, obedience to the Torah is not a diagnosis of our salvation but a symptom of our salvation which is His souvenir to those who Shema (Hear & Obey) the prophet (Messiah יהושע) He has sent. Selah!

Many pastors and church ministers have failed to accede to the message of the Epistle to the Galatians for not reading it in context and without understanding the chronicle of the Two Houses of Yisra’ĕl. The context of the book of the Galatians is not the abrogation of the Torah but the battle for salvation. Shaul didn’t abolish the Torah but rather scrapped off the false gospel of salvation. There is not a single unambiguous verse in the book of Galatians that would tell us that the Torah has been abolished. Conversely, the book of the Galatians points to the precise way of observing the Torah in conjunction with the correct order of salvation

Torah is the standard of Elohim while His Grace is the unfathomable favour that covers us when we break His Torah and repent. It has always been “Torah and Grace” not “Torah vs Grace”, and these go hand in hand to triumph over the enemy of faith.

I hope and sincerely pray this study has blessed you. Dear Pastors and church Ministers, I urge you to establish a doctrine with a full biblical context, not by cherry-picked verse out of context. Cherry-picking verses can be dangerous.

Be like a Berean and Test Every Teaching-(Acts 17:11) because many false teachers have gone out to deceive the elect-(1 John 4:1, Matthew 25:11).

Feel free to endorse or negate this teaching in the comments below and share if the Set-Apart Spirit moves you. Your insights will be highly appreciated as we all are learning and growing in Messiah with the aid of Ruach Hakodesh (Set-Apart Spirit).

Please refrain from the hateful and irrelevant comments. Stay in the context and do not deflect. Do not blend this teaching with other topics. Hostile and irrelevant comments will not be entertained or might be blocked, as I know some people would smuggle in this study and attempt to create a mess.

Let us be in the compound unity and spread the Whole Good News of Messiah יהושע and Torah to the ends of the earth.

Your brother in Messiah
Ricky Singh Chohan
La-Adonai ha-Yeshuah
Revelation 7:10
Shalom!


The Great Debate

A nucleus of the Law Abolishing Paradigm of the Mainstream Christianity that the Torah (Law) of Elohim (Mighty One) given through Mosheh does not apply to Gentile Believers or Christians anymore is based on Acts 15 – Yerushalayim Council’s Letter to Gentile Believers. The mainstream pastors and evangelical Christians commonly cite Acts 15:10 as proof text that the Gentile converts of our Messiah are not obligated to honour the Torah commandments such as Sabbath, feasts, Tzitzit, dietary laws etc. or the entire Torah (Law). They believe and teach that observance to the Torah is an “unbearable yoke on the neck”, and thus they dupe many sincere Christians that Torah must be eradicated from their lives and churches as well. Many Christians further quote a segment of Acts 15 to endorse their denial to observe the Torah.

Acts 15:10 “Now then, why do you try Elohim by putting a yoke on the neck of the taught ones which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?”

What if they all are wrong? What if the scriptures mean the exact opposite to what many pastors and church leaders teach nowadays? It’s time to shake off, open our Bible, and Test Every Teaching like a Berean-(Acts 17:11).

Before we study the core issue presented at Yerushalayim Council in regards to new Gentile converts, Let us consider what is written in the Torah:

Numbers 15:15-16 “One law is for you of the assembly and for the stranger who sojourns with you – a law forever throughout your generations. As you are, so is the stranger before יהוה. One Torah and one right-ruling is for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you.”

The Torah (Law)of Elohim is the same for everyone, whether you are a Jew or Gentile; He doesn’t have one set of instructions for the Jew believers and a different set for the Gentile believers.

The opening verses of Acts 15 give us a clear picture of the core issue around which the Yerushalayim Council congregated.

Acts 15:1-3 -“And certain men came down from Yehuḏah(Judah) and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised, according to the practice of Mosheh, you are unable to be saved.” So when Sha’ul(Paul) and Barnaḇa had no small dissension and dispute with them, they arranged for Sha’ul and Barnaḇa and certain others of them to go up to Yerushalayim, to the emissaries and elders, about this question. So, being sent on their way by the assembly, they passed through Phoenicia and Shomeron, relating the conversion of the nations. And they were causing great joy to all the brothers.”

These “certain men” are not identified, but likely a group of legalistic people (Jews) from Judea who are imposing their false doctrine- “Mark of Circumcision”,  to these newly converted Gentile believers, that Circumcision is necessary for their salvation.

As believers, we know this very well biblically, that circumcision or any other commandment alone can not afford us salvation. There is the only way of salvation that is “ Saved by His favour through Faith” -(Ephesians 2:8-9, Acts 15:11). This salvation causes obedience to the Torah(Law) with the aid of Ruach Hakodesh -(Romans 3:31, Ephesians 2:10, Ezekiel 36:25-27).

Ephesians 2:8-10 “For by favour you have been saved, through belief, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of Elohim, it is not by works so that no one should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Messiah יהושע unto good works, which Elohim prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

We are saved and justified by the unfathomable favour of our Messiah יהושע unto good works. The good results are not defined in the Pagan parties such as Christmas, Easter, Valentines Day, eating unclean meat, and lawless behaviour. The Highest Elohim’s good works are expressed in His Torah, which was prepared in advance for His people, the Believers, before entering their faith in Messiah. This is because the Torah came first before the manifestation of the Messiah in the flesh.

Salvation has never been by the works or obedience to the Torah alone. It has always been by faith that produces obedience. We must have faith in Messiah יהושע, which gives us the desire to walk in the Torah and right-rulings of the Highest Elohim.  Yisra’ĕl was saved first from the bondage of Mitsrayim(Egypt) by believing the promises of Elohim. The Torah was then introduced to them in a written form, which are the excellent instructions from our Creator.

Proverbs 4:2 “For I gave you good instruction: Do not forsake my Torah.”

Abraham was not justified by the works- Circumcision, but instead, he was justified by his faith, and his faith caused him to have Circumcision-(Genesis 15:6). The same paradigm is applied to all believers, whether Jew or Gentile and to all who are yet to enter in faith.

That is the teaching from the Torah itself, that we are not justified and saved by the works of the law alone, but by faith which produces obedience. But some “false people” from Judea were teaching “false gospel” to Gentile believers at Galatia, that they are to be saved by the “works of the law-circumcision” by forfeiting the salvation afforded to us, by the favour of our Messiah at stake.

This article will shed more light to understand the subject of  “Epistle to the Galatians”, which is often used to abolish the Torah of Almighty. Acts 15 is a pillar of the “Epistle to the Galatians”.

Galatians 1:6-7 “I(Shaul) marvel that you are so readily turning away from Him who called you in favour of Messiah, to a different ‘Good News,’ which is not another, only there are some who are troubling you and wishing to pervert the Good News of Messiah.”

The gospel preached by “certain men from Judea” that it is the Circumcision which merits salvation to Gentile Believers, is deemed as “false gospel” by the Rav Shaul(Apostle Paul). Shaul even called these “false people”- hypocrites because their only motive to force these Gentile believers to have “Mark of Circumcision” for salvation was to boast in their flesh.

Galatians 6:11-13 “See what big letters I have written to you with my hand! As many wish to make a good show in the flesh, these compel you to be circumcised, only so that they should not be persecuted for the stake of Messiah. For those who are circumcised do not even watch over the Torah, but they wish to have you circumcised so that they might boast in your flesh.”

Continuing in Acts 15:5, “And some of the believers who belonged to the sect of the Pharisees, rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the Torah of Mosheh.”

There is a second group involved in a debate that consists of valid believers – Sect of Pharisees who believe and understand that salvation is by grace through faith, not by the works alone. They believe that obedience to the commandments of Elohim is a part of our faith. They didn’t mention any mean of salvation, but simply obedience to the Law of Elohim, as they probably know these Gentiles believers are already saved and are now included in the household of Elohim. (Romans 11, Eph 2).

That was the debate, which caused the  Yerushalayim Council to convene:

Whether the Gentiles Believers of Messiah should be circumcised for salvation or they should be observant to the Law of Elohim because of their salvation. The debate was not about if the Torah (Law) of Elohim should be applied to the Gentile Believers or not. Christians have misunderstood the heart of Acts 15 and invented a new debate of Law abolishing paradox out of nothing. And, this has caused a theological mess in modern churches.

“Obedience to the Torah because of our salvation” or “Obedience to the Torah for our salvation ” are two different statements with different meanings. As believers of the Messiah and Covenanted people of Elohim, we are not keeping the Torah for our salvation, but rather because of our salvation.

Obedience to the Torah ( Law) is not a root of salvation but a fruit of salvation. We don’t keep the Law of Elohim to be saved; we observe and honour it because the unfathomable favour of our Messiah has saved us. Selah!

The false Judeans were imposing a false gospel (Mark of Circumcision) on the Gentile Believers at Galatia, that the “work of redemption“ done by Messiah at stake, was not enough for their salvation. They must receive the “Mark of Circumcision”, which is another way of saying “Conversion to Judaism”, to become a Jew to yield their salvation and gain a right to be in Covenant with Elohim. Then, they are to keep the Torah (Law of Elohim) and their Jewish artificial oral laws as well continually for their salvation.

That is a “false gospel, brought in by “false people” because they don’t keep the Law of Elohim for themselves. Still, they were forcing the Gentile Believers to keep their Oral artificial laws and Law of Elohim for salvation to forfeit the salvation afforded to them in Messiah.

The Law of Elohim is not designed to provide us salvation; the Messiah’s favour saves us through believing, which is a gift of Elohim. Law aligns us to the ways of our Abba, and we love Him back by honouring and walking in His Torah(Law) -(1 John 5:3). That’s why Shaul said, the Torah (Law) of Elohim is good when it’s applied correctly. Consider the following.

1 Timothy 1:8 “And we know that the Torah is good if one uses it legitimately.”

Romans 3:31 “Do we then nullify the Torah through the belief? Let it not be! On the contrary, we establish the Torah.”

Luqas(Luke) continued to record in Acts 15:6-11

“And the emissaries and elders came together to look into this matter. And when there had been much dispute, Kĕpha rose and said to them, “Men, brothers, you know that a good while ago Elohim chose among us, that by my mouth the nations should hear the word of the Good News and believe. “And Elohim, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Set-apart Spirit, as also to us, and made no distinction between them and us, cleansing their hearts by belief. Now then, why do you try Elohim by putting a yoke on the neck of the taught ones which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?” But through the favour of the Master יהושע Messiah, we trust to be saved, in the same way as they.”

This passage, probably more than any other in the entire Bible, is mistreated and misapplied. Mainstream pastors and Christians abruptly snip this passage by negating the entire Acts 15 and say –

“Seeeeee, see that.. keeping the Torah or Law or Law of Elohim is an unbearable yoke, and it has been taken off the Gentile Believers. Torah is not applied to Christians. It was nailed to the cross. It is abolished.”

Is obedience to the Torah an unbearable yoke? Nowhere in the scriptures, it has ever been concluded that keeping our Elohim’s commandments is a heavy burden. On the contrary, scriptures say it’s easy:

Deuteronomy 30:11-14 “Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?”No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.

1 John 5:3 “Loving Elohim means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome.”

If scriptures teach us, keeping the commandments of Elohim or the Torah is easy, then we can not accept the interpretation of mainstream Christianity, which leads that keeping the Torah is an unbearable yoke on our neck.

We can’t let the scriptures brawl.

Then, what is the unbearable yoke Kĕpha (Peter) mentioned?

It is the “false gospel” of “false people”, teaches a “work based salvation”, that is, to become a Jew starting from the ceremonial Circumcision, and then obliged to keep the Jewish oral laws and Torah of Elohim for salvation.

See how scriptures interpret the scriptures. That’s why when we read the scriptures, we read in context. We make sure that scriptures do not contradict each other, and this way, the validity of scriptures remain to enact.

Reading the Scriptures in context can damage your ignorance….

Matthew 22:29 And Messiah יהושע answering, said to them, “You go astray, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of Elohim.”

Hosea 4:6 “My people have perished for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being priest for Me. Since you have forgotten the Torah of your Elohim, I also forget your children”

We can see how the semiotics of the Scriptures has been hijacked by many teachers today and what has been lied to the people of Elohim.

What are Jewish oral artificial laws? Consider the following; if we recall Mark 7, when יהושע Messiah dismissed their human-made religiosity, extra human-made verbal rules.

Mark 7:5-9 “Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him(Messiah), “Why do Your taught ones not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?” And He answering, said to them, “Well did Yeshayahu prophesy concerning you hypocrites, as it has been written, ‘This people respect Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And  in vain do they worship Me, teaching as teachings the commands of men.’ Forsaking the command of Elohim, you hold fast the tradition of men. And He said to them, “Well do you set aside the command of Elohim, in order to guard your tradition.”

Keep in view the following as well:

Matthew 23:1-4 “Then Messiah  יהושע spoke to the crowds and to His taught ones, saying , “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on the seat of Mosheh. Therefore , whatever they say to you to guard, guard and do. But do not do according to their works, for they say, and do not do. “For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders, but with their finger they do not wish to move them.”

It’s the different human-made rules and regulations; the oral laws of Jewish leadership are the heavy burden that is hard to bear, not the written commandments of our Heavenly Father Elohim.

Continue in

Acts 15:19-20 “Therefore I(Ya‛aqoḇ) judge that we should not trouble those from among the nations who are turning to Elohim, but that we write to them to abstain from the defilements of idols, and from whoring, and from what is strangled, and from blood.”

Ya‛aqoḇ (James) rendered a reasonable judgment that these newly converted Gentiles should not be bombarded with everything to learn overnight. These freshly converted Gentiles have not fully submitted to the Elohim’s ways as they are still entangled with their pagan practices. Ya‛aqoḇ (James) made a wise, easy and significant decision for them- they must abrogate their pagan practices first before they are accepted into the assembly of Elohim because one cannot drink from the cup of the blood of Messiah  יהושע and the cup of the demon at the same time.

Christians have argued that they were required to follow only these four commandments -abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and blood.

Well, then how about –  do not murder, love your neighbours, honour your parents, do not steal etc. Were these not really matter for the Gentile believers, who were grafted to the family(Yisra’ĕl ) of Elohim and serve the Elohim of Yisra’ĕl?

Does it mean they were allowed to commit murder, dishonour their parents, lie, steal etc.? Certainly not, and Elohim forbids.

That’s why the most important verse of the passage is glazed over by Christianity and ignored to support their “Torah abolishing doctrine”, but they do not realize this verse is the key to understanding the entire passage of Acts 15.

Acts 15:21 – “For from ancient generations Mosheh has, in every city, those proclaiming him – being read in the congregations every Sabbath.”

The four commandments -“abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and blood”, are the prerequisite, as a charge to abolish their paganism, before they are accepted to the family of Elohim. Later, they learn the rest of the commandments, as the Law (Torah) is being taught in every city on Sabbath.

Because, at that time, there were no printed Bible available, nor existed the Bible apps. The only way they were to learn the Torah, and His ways, was by becoming a part of His assembly on Sabbath.

And, the four prerequisite commandments,

Yerushalayim Council’s directive, is straight out of the Torah (Leviticus 17:8-16, Leviticus 18:2-26, Deuteronomy 32:17), obviously showing that the Council did not abolish the Law of Elohim in his decree.

So, Acts 15 (Yerushalayim Council’s Decree ) does not teach Torah’s abrogation to the Gentile believers of our Messiah, but a directive to forsake paganism and learn the Torah on every Sabbath.

Therefore, Christians should keep the Torah if they have a genuine and active faith in Messiah.

Romans 3:31 “Do we then nullify the Torah through the belief? Let it not be! On the contrary, we establish the Torah.”

I hope and pray this study has blessed you. My dear Christian brothers and sisters, the goal of this study is not to offend your beliefs. I urge to establish a doctrine with a full biblical context, not by cherry-picked verse out of context. Cherry-picking verses can be dangerous.

Be like Bereans and Test Every Teaching-(Acts 17:11) because many false teachers have gone out to deceive the elect-(1 John 4:1, Matthew 25:11).

Please feel free to endorse or negate this teaching in the comments below. Your insight will be highly appreciated. We all are learning and growing in Messiah with the aid of Ruach Hakodesh(Set-Apart Spirit).

Please refrain from the hateful and irrelevant comments. Stay in the context and do not deflect. Do not blend this teaching with other topics.

(Please note:-Hateful and irrelevant comments will not be entertained or might be blocked, as I know some people would smuggle in this study and attempt to create a mess).

I believe that the entire Bible is true and directly applicable to our lives. I do not belong to any religion, denomination or movement. I belong to the Heavenly Father, Yah Elohim, the Mighty One. I don’t endorse any other teachings outside the Bible above the commandments of the Mighty One. I firmly believe Salvation is only by the favour of Messiah through faith which produces obedience-(Ephesians 2:8-10, Romans 3:31, Matthew 5:17-19, Acts 15). Obedience to the Torah (Law of heavenly Father) is not a root of my salvation, but a fruit of my salvation as a result of my genuine faith with the aid of Ruach Hakodesh/Set-Apart Spirit-(Romans 3:31, Ephesians 2:10, Ezekiel 36:27). I keep the Torah because I love our Elohim (Mighty  One) who gave us the Torah-(1 John 5:3).

Let us be in the compound unity and spread the Whole Good News of Messiah יהושע and Torah to the ends of the earth.

Shalom

Baruch Haba B’shem Yahuah (Bleased is he who comes in the name of Yahuah)

10 Comments

  1. Dean Heckathorn

    Torah isn’t our salvation, it cleans us up enough that we can have and maintain a relationship with our Creator on His terms not ours.

    Reply
  2. Maria - SA

    Shalom Ricky,
    I will definitely share this teaching with “Christians” who are deceived.
    I loved the “simplicity” and the elimination of “Christianese”.
    May YEHOVAH ELOHIM continue to bless you with HIS wisdom, knowledge and understanding.
    Shabbat Shalom
    Maria SA

    Reply
  3. Julia S.

    After reading Ricky’s article I have a better understanding of Galatians.

    Thank you Joe for posting it.

    Blessings to you both!

    Shabbat Shalom!

    Reply
  4. Lori-Dawn

    SO thankful for this study in Galatians and putting together the Scriptures that back up the importance of obedience. It truly points out how weak the argument is for NOT walking in obedience to Torah. Law and Grace truly go hand in hand and has been present in the Scriptures from the very beginning to the very end. Let those who are truly seeking Yehovah, SEE and HEAR and then DO.

    Reply
  5. Glenn Caron

    Regarding Moses’ Seat in Matthew 23:1-3, Shem Tob’s Hebrew Matthew gives us a completely different picture of Moses’ Seat than given in the Greek originated King James Version. Following is an English translation of the Hebrew Matthew by Nehemia Gordon, a scholar who is a translator of the Dead Sea Scrolls and an expert in ancient Hebrew/Aramaic texts —

    “The Pharisees and sages sit upon the seat of Moses. Therefore, all that he [Moses] says to you, diligently do, but according to their [the Pharisees] reforms [takanot] and their [the Pharisees] precedents [ma’asim] do not do, because they talk but do not do.”

    Takanot are “reforms that change Biblical law” and ma’asim are “acts or deeds that serve as precedent.”

    We find confirmation of this translation further on in the Hebrew Matthew, where it says:

    “Woe to you BLIND CHAIRS [SEATS], who say that he who swears by the sanctuary is not obligated but he who vows by anything that is sanctified to the sanctuary building is obligated to pay. MAD MEN AND BLIND MEN! Which is greater, the sanctuary or the thing which is sanctified to the sanctuary?” (Hebrew Matthew 23:16-20).

    Throughout this passage the Messiah is taking the Pharisees to task. Earlier (in Hebrew Matthew 23:1-3) he said that they sat in the seat of Moses and now he calls them (in the Hebrew) “you blind chairs” — they sit in the seat or “chair” of Moses but they are “mad men and blind men”!

    Yeshua, in his rebuke of the Pharisees and their traditions, compared their deeds and reforms with the deeds and reforms of the Samaritans in 2 Kings 17:34, adding even further weight to Shem Tob’s version of Matthew 23:1-2. Notice!

    “The Samaritans do “according to their statutes and their judgments” but “they do not do” according to the Torah” (translation by Nehemia Gordon).

    Copied from https://hope-of-israel.org/aboutMosesseat.html

    Just wanted all to see the misunderstaadning in some of these translations… Study for your own salvation and understading . Have a Blessed Sabbath. Glenn.

    Reply
  6. Phyllis Mannering

    Thankyou Yehovah for blessing this man to give us this artical. Much to study , and ponder. Thankyou. Phyllis Mannering.

    Reply
  7. Gary Hannie

    Excellent, excellent!
    Thank you Yehovah, Ricky, and Joseph!

    Reply
  8. Greg N.

    Deeply wonderful reading !! Both Rick & Joseph.

    Each week when I share these Newsletters with the folks I send these too with some comments ; “ This week Joseph has nailed it again. This is important. Please note, etc. “.

    Then the next Newsletter comes out the following Friday and Mr Dumond takes it to the next level of understanding. And I have to repeat the same comment to them !!

    These Newsletters are THE highlight of my week and I am sure many others.

    Joseph, please keep on this path – you are truly walking the correct way !!

    Yehovah is leading you and you are following!! GN.

    Reply
  9. Antonio Z. De Asis

    Jesus the Messiah came to the Lost Sheep of Israel to redeem their sins by dying on the cross, but ALSO to unravel the mystery of Deuteronomy 24:1-4 (Laws Concerning the Family), for having ‘died’ to annul/dissolve the first marriage, when YHWH Elohim ‘put away Y’isra’el’ and gave her certificate of divorce (Jeremiah 3:8).
    Wonderful!
    Shabbat Shalom.

    Reply
  10. Ben Bueno

    Thanks for ur teachings. I learn a lot from this. Can you expound a little more on the comparison of circumcision, the difference between the mark of the covenant (Abrahamic) vs the works of the law

    Reply

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